Capsaicin: A Spicy Supplement That May Deliver Well-Rounded Benefits to Your Health

May 7th, 2020

By Dr. Joseph Mercola

Contributing writer for Wake Up World

Chili peppers (capsicum annuum) are one of the most common yet important spices in cooking, and is enjoyed by countless people all over the world. While most people believe that they originated from India, China or Thailand — countries that make extensive use of chilies in their cuisine — did you know that they actually originated from the Americas?1

The history of chili peppers goes back to more than 6,500 years ago in the Mexican region.2 Ancient Mexicans extensively used them to spice up their food, and in 1492, it was introduced to the Europeans when Christopher Columbus unexpectedly ended up in America.3

Originally, Columbus wasn’t looking for chili peppers — he was simply looking for another route to Asia to acquire black peppercorns, which were considered luxury items in Europe back then. After he returned with plant samples to the Iberian Peninsula, Portuguese traders brought them around the world for bartering, eventually ending up in Asia and becoming even more widespread.4

What makes chili peppers unique is capsaicin, the ingredient that gives them their spicy flavor, as well as their unique health benefits. It was first isolated in 1846 by a British Chemist named John Clough Thresh,5 but it was only in 1979 that capsaicin was tested in a scientific environment for therapeutic uses.

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